Round, roughly spherical beads are used in a wide variety of industrial and medical applications. Their uses range from catalyst supports in chemical processes to bone filler materials in biomedical applications. Typical material systems range from ceramic-based systems like alumina, titania, zirconia, and hydroxyapatite to metals like iron, magnesium, aluminum, copper, and zinc.
In some applications, such as biomedical applications, ceramic granules and beads are used as bone filler materials for bone fixation and bone growth. They have also found wide acceptance in spinal fusion procedures. These synthetic bone substitutes serve to reduce the need for allografts and autografts. In some exemplary procedures, the diameter of the beads used may range from about 0.1 mm to 10 mm.
Currently, such beads are obtained from cadavers and are of irregular shapes. Due to supply limitation and ethical issues there is a need to find synthetic bone substitutes. Commercially available substitutes are mostly available in tubular or elongated shape. It would be an improvement in the art to provide a new source for such products and to increase the range of sizes available along with a method for their manufacture that may render them more affordable to facilitate the provision of appropriate health care to patients.
Such beads and methods and systems for their manufacture are provided herein.